Connor Zilisch had a frustrating outing at The Chilango 150 at Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez last Saturday. A final stage tangle saw him spin out of contention, forcing him to restart from the back of the field. Despite a late caution with only seven laps to go, Zilisch could only salvage a fifth-place finish. The race was ultimately won by NASCAR Cup Series driver Daniel Suarez, with Taylor Gray, Austin Hill, and Christian Eckes completing the top four.
In a post-race interview with Matt Weaver, Zilisch reflected on the race, admitting that he could have potentially made a different decision during the final restart. He also mentioned the challenges of the race, particularly the hectic restarts and the impact of the long straightaway on the cars.
The race also saw Zilisch’s car sustain significant damage from contact with Ty Gibbs, further hindering his progress in the final laps. Despite the setbacks, Zilisch expressed pride in his team’s effort to finish in the top five.
Currently sitting fifth in the driver standings with 430 points, the 18-year-old driver from Charlotte has accumulated four top-five finishes and six top-10 finishes in the season so far. His next challenge will be the Explore the Pocono Mountains 250 at Pocono Raceway on June 21, which will be televised on CW at 3:30 pm ET.
In a noteworthy development, Zilisch will be acting as a spotter for Ross Chastain during practice for Sunday’s Viva Mexico 250 Cup Series race. This marks the first time in his career that he will be in this role, filling in for Chastain’s usual spotter, Brandon McReynolds. Zilisch’s association with Trackhouse Racing as a development driver for the 2025 season has opened up opportunities for him to expand his experience in various racing disciplines.
With a win at COTA earlier this year and participation in races across different series, including the CARS Tour, Trans-Am Series, IMSA SportsCar Championship, and Global MX-5 Cup, Zilisch continues to make strides in his racing career. As a Red Bull-sponsored athlete, he remains a promising talent to watch in the motorsport world.
